System and method for bandwidth allocation in an optical light-trail

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to allocating the use of optical light-trails. Optical light-trails enable a plurality of nodes included in a light-trail to share the use of an optical wavelength to transmit traffic between the nodes included in the light-trail. A method for allocating the use of an optical light-trail includes calculating a bid at each of one or more nodes included in the light-trail. Each of the nodes calculates a bid with consideration for the criticality of the node&#39;s need to transmit particular traffic on the light-trail. The method also includes transmitting the calculated bids from one or more of the nodes to an arbiter node. The arbiter node determines the maximum received bid, determines whether to allocate the use of the light-trail to the node associated with the maximum bid, and then communicates one or more control messages to the nodes that transmitted the bids indicating to which node use of the light-trail is allocated.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to optical networks and, more particularly, to a system and method for bandwidth allocation in an optical light-trail established in an optical communication network.

BACKGROUND

Telecommunication systems, cable television systems, and data communication networks use optical networks to rapidly convey large amounts of information between remote points. In an optical network, information is conveyed in the form of optical signals through optical fibers. Optical fibers comprise thin strands of glass capable of transmitting optical signals over long distances with very low loss of signal strength.

Recent years have seen an explosion in the use of telecommunication services. As the demand for telecommunication services continues to grow, optical networks are quickly becoming overburdened by the increasing amount of information communicated over such networks. The addition of new networks or the expansion of existing networks may however be too costly to be practical solutions to this problem. Thus, efficient use of network resources has become an important goal in developing and operating optical networks.

Optical networks often employ wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) or dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) to increase transmission capacity. In WDM and DWDM networks, a number of optical channels are carried in each fiber at disparate wavelengths. Network capacity is based on the number of wavelengths, or channels, in each fiber and the bandwidth, or size of the channels. By using WDM add/drop equipment at network nodes, the entire composite signal can be fully demultiplexed into its constituent channels and switched (added/dropped or passed through). In such networks, traffic from one network node to another network node are often assigned to a particular wavelength on which the traffic is communicated over the network. By assigning different traffic streams to different wavelengths, interference between different traffic streams is prevented. However, in certain situations, this creates inefficiency in the network. For example, if the traffic from a node that is assigned a particular wavelength does not typically use much of the bandwidth (capacity) associated with the wavelength, then inefficiencies are created.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates to bandwidth allocation in an optical light-trail. Optical light-trails enable a plurality of nodes included in a light-trail to share the use of an optical wavelength to transmit traffic between the nodes included in the light-trail. A method for allocating the use of an optical light-trail includes calculating a bid at each of one or more nodes included in the light-trail. Each of the nodes calculates a bid with consideration for the criticality of the node's need to transmit particular traffic on the light-trail. The method also includes transmitting the calculated bids from one or more of the nodes to an arbiter node. The arbiter node determines the maximum received bid, determines whether to allocate the use of the light-trail to the node associated with the maximum bid, and then communicates one or more control messages to the nodes that transmitted the bids indicating to which node use of the light-trail is allocated.

Technical advantages of certain embodiments of the present invention may include efficient techniques for using transmission resources on optical networks. More specifically, in particular embodiments of the present invention, nodes of an optical network are capable of establishing an optical “light-trail” that includes one or more other nodes for the transmission of optical traffic. Such a light-trail may be shared by the nodes included in the light-trail to transmit traffic to other nodes included in the light-trail. The use of such light-trails may result in more efficient communication of information in the optical network since a number of nodes can share the bandwidth provided by a wavelength at which the light-trail is established.

In order for nodes to share a light-trail, a number of different techniques may be used to allocate use of the light-trail for a particular amount of time to a particular node in the light-trail. Embodiments of the present invention use an “auction” algoritm that allows various nodes to submit bids for use of the light-trail and for a decision to be made regarding allocation of the light-trail based on these bids. This technique is an efficient and fair way to allocate the use of the light-trail amongst the nodes in the light-trail.

It will be understood that the various embodiments of the present invention may include some, all, or none of the enumerated technical advantages. In addition other technical advantages of the present invention may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the figures, description, and claims included herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an optical ring network in which light-trails may be implemented in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a particular embodiment of a node that may be utilized in an optical network implementing light-trails;

FIG. 3A-3C illustrate example operation of nodes of an optical network in establishing a light-trail; and

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example auction technique for sharing the use of a light-trail established in the optical network.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an optical network 10 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Optical network 10 includes a plurality of nodes 14 coupled to an optical ring 20. During operation, nodes 14 transmit and receive traffic on optical ring 20 on one of a plurality of wavelengths. In particular, a light-trail, such as light-trail 30 in FIG. 1, may be established over which nodes 14 may transmit optical traffic to other nodes 14 located on that light-trail. Nodes included in a light-trail share the light-trail, as appropriate, to transmit information to other nodes included in the light-trail on a wavelength associated with the light-trail. Thus, a light-trail is a generalization of a light path (an optical wavelength circuit) such that multiple nodes along the path can take part in communication along the path. Therefore, the use of these light-trails addresses the inefficiency discussed above associated with assigning a wavelength for traffic communicated from a single node to another node. In addition, light-trail communications allow optical multicasting and dynamic provisioning.

Nodes 14 that allow light-trail communication have specific characteristics that enable the nodes 14 to implement light-trails. For example, these characteristics include a drop and continue function (where traffic received by an element of the node is both dropped and forwarded, so as to allow the traffic to continue along the light-trail), passive adding of traffic by the node (“passive” in this context means the adding of traffic without using optical switches that use power, electricity, and/or moving parts), and the use of an out-of-band control channel (as opposed to control signals that are in-band with the data being communicated on the network 10). As described below, FIG. 2 illustrates a particular embodiment of a node 14 including these characteristics.

Referring again to FIG. 1, although a single light-trail 30 is illustrated, nodes 14 may establish light-trails on one or more wavelengths utilized by optical network 10 and multiple non-overlapping light-trails may exist at a particular time on a particular wavelength. To prevent optical interference caused by multiple nodes 14 transmitting simultaneously on a particular light-trail in optical network 10, nodes 14 may utilize particular techniques for sharing the light-trail, as described below. Therefore, there are two levels of “arbitration” associated with light-trails. The first level is the establishment and termination of light-trails to meet particular demands, as well as the “dimensioning” of light-trails (growing or shrinking the trails to meet particular demands). The second level of arbitration is the allocation of the use of the light-trail to nodes in the light-trail. Nodes may be allocated bandwidth according to defined rules or heuristics, predefined bandwidth allocation algorithms, “round robin” techniques (as discussed below), on a dynamic basis, and/or using any other suitable techniques.

Although FIG. 1 illustrates a particular embodiment and configuration of ring network 10, mesh, linear, or other suitable types of optical networks may be used in accordance with the present invention. In the illustrated embodiment, network 10 is an optical network in which a number of optical channels are carried over a common transmission media at different wavelengths. For example, network 10 may be a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) network, a dense wavelength division multiplexed (DWDM) network, or any other suitable multi-channel network. Network 10 may represent all or a portion of a short-haul metropolitan network, a long-haul intercity network, or any other suitable network or combination of networks. Network 10 may include, as appropriate, a single uni-directional fiber, a single bi-directional fiber, or a plurality of uni- or bi-directional fibers.

Optical ring 20, in the illustrated embodiment, comprises a pair of uni-directional fibers, first fiber 16 and second fiber 18, transporting traffic in a counterclockwise and clockwise direction, respectively. Optical ring 20 optically couples the plurality of nodes 14 a-14 f, and optical traffic propagates between nodes 14 over optical ring 20. As used herein, “traffic” means information transmitted, stored, or sorted in the network. Such traffic may comprise optical signals having at least one characteristic modulated to encode audio, video, textual, real-time, non-real-time and/or other suitable data. Modulation may be based on phase shift keying (PSK), intensity modulation (IM), and other suitable methodologies. Additionally, the information carried by this traffic may be structured in any suitable manner. Although the description below focuses on an embodiment of network 10 that communicates traffic on optical ring 20 in the form of optical frames, network 10 may be configured to communicate traffic structured in the form of frames, as packets, or in any other appropriate manner.

Using established light-trails, nodes 14 facilitate communication between a plurality of client devices (not shown) coupled to each node 14 through a plurality of client ports. As described in greater detail below, each node 14 may receive traffic from client devices coupled to that node 14 and add this traffic to optical ring 20 to the optical traffic propagating on optical ring 20. Each node 14 may also receive traffic from optical ring 20 and drop traffic destined for client devices of that node 14, such as personal computers (PCs), telephones, fax machines, hard drives, web servers, and/or any other appropriate communication device. Although FIG. 1, illustrates one embodiment of network 10 that includes a particular number of nodes 14, network 10 may include any appropriate number of nodes 14 configured in any appropriate manner.

In operation, nodes 14 generate optical traffic at one or more wavelengths based on electrical signals received by nodes 14 from client devices coupled to nodes 14 and add this optical traffic to optical traffic propagating on optical ring 20. Nodes 14 also receive and drop traffic propagating on optical ring 20 that is destined for one or more of its clients. For the purposes of this description, nodes 14 may “drop” traffic by transmitting a copy of the traffic to any appropriate components that are a part of or coupled to the relevant node 14. As a result, nodes 14 may drop traffic from optical ring 20 by transmitting the traffic to these components while allowing the traffic to continue to downstream components on optical ring 20. Each node 14 drops and electrically converts traffic received on particular wavelengths at which that node 14 is configured to receive traffic and either does not drop or discards traffic transmitted at other wavelengths. Once traffic is dropped from the optical ring 20, nodes 14 may provide optical-to-electrical conversion of the dropped traffic. Nodes 14 then extract, based on addressing information in the traffic, portions of this traffic destined for client devices coupled to that node 14. In certain embodiments, each node 14 includes, or has associated with it, a switching element which may forward the traffic, or a portion thereof, to one or more of a plurality of client devices based on addressing information.

Since nodes 14 time-share a wavelength associated with a particular light-trail, the data flow patterns through a light-trail dominant network may be somewhat “bursty” in nature due to the interleaving of data streams from multiple nodes 14. However, client devices (typically, Layer-2 devices) associated with a node 14 expect that the optical layer will provide uninterrupted communication to the devices. Therefore, to facilitate an interface between the bursty optical layer (due to time sharing of the bandwidth of light-trails) and the continuous client layer, nodes 14 include a device called a burstponder. A burstponder is a device that allows a node 14 to time share a wavelength while creating an impression to client device of the node 14 that the wavelength is available on a seamless and continuous basis. Such a burstponder is described in further detail in conjunction with FIG. 2.

Additionally, nodes 14 may be configured to establish light-trail 30 and transmit or receive some or all optical traffic on light-trail 30. Light-trail 30 represents an optical path on a portion of fiber connecting any two or more components in optical network 10. Light-trail 30 is illustrated in FIG. 1 as a shaded portion of fiber 16. Once light-trail 30 is established, any of the nodes 14 connected to light-trail 30 may transmit optical traffic on light-trail 30 to nodes 14 located downstream from the transmitting node 14 in the direction traffic is propagating along light-trail 30. A particular node 14 may terminate or reconfigure light-trail 30 at any appropriate time. Additionally, as noted above, in particular embodiments, multiple light-trails may be established in optical ring 20, with each light-trail associated with a particular wavelength. Furthermore, multiple, non-overlapping light-trails may be associated with a common wavelength. The operation of a particular embodiment of optical network 10 in establishing a light-trail is illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3C.

As mentioned above, to coordinate the establishment and sharing of light-trails, optical network 10 supports an optical supervisory channel (OSC) or other out-of-band control channel on which control signals are exchanged between nodes 14 and/or other components of optical network 10. Nodes 14 may exchange control messages on the OSC to initiate and terminate light-trails and to manage use of established light-trails. In a particular embodiment, the OSC represents one or more wavelengths, among a plurality of wavelengths utilized by optical network 10, that are dedicated to control signals. Alternatively, the OSC may represent a separate fiber in optical ring 20 on which nodes 14 may exchange control signals. According to particular embodiments, control signals associated with a particular light-trail may be transmitted on the OSC in the direction of traffic on that light-trail, in a direction opposite to the direction of traffic on that light-trail, or in both directions on the OSC.

Use of light-trails may result in more efficient transmission of traffic between nodes 14. In particular embodiments, nodes 14 may be configured to use light-trails to transmit all traffic and may establish additional light-trails if the amount of traffic flowing on a particular light-trail exceeds a particular threshold, or if a particular node 14 is unable to transmit traffic (due to use of the light-trail by other nodes 14) that cannot be delayed. In general, however, nodes 14 may be configured to establish light-trails based on any appropriate criteria, factors, or considerations.

In particular embodiments, as described below in conjunction with FIG. 4, nodes 14 may use an auction technique to bid on the use of a light-trail (for example, based on the criticality of the node's need to transmit particular data). In other embodiments of optical network 10, nodes 14 may share use of a light-trail through a “round robin” or “weighted round robin” system. In yet other embodiments, a particular node 14 is granted use of an existing light-trail to transmit optical traffic to other nodes 14 based on a priority associated with that node 14. Thus, when more than one node 14 is attempting to transmit optical traffic on the same light-trail at the same time, an element of optical network 10 may determine which node 14 will be granted use of that light-trail based on a comparison of the priorities of the competing nodes 14. These techniques, or other suitable techniques for sharing a light-trail, may result in more efficient communication of information as transmission by certain nodes 14 or the transmission of certain information may be given priority over other transmissions, allowing, for example, particular nodes 14 to satisfy minimum quality of service (QoS) requirements for their transmissions.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a particular embodiment of a node 14 for use in implementing light-trails. As shown, node 14 includes transport elements 50 a and 50 b, distributing/combining elements 80 a and 80 b, a managing element 120, a drop element 130, an add element 140, a burstponder 150, and a switching element 160. Transport elements 50 add traffic to and drop traffic from fibers 16 and 18. More specifically, transport elements 50 may generate one or more copies of optical signals propagating on fibers 16 and 18 for communication of particular portions of the traffic carried in these optical signals to devices coupled to node 14. Additionally, transport elements 50 may include components appropriate to add traffic generated by node 14 or received from client devices of node 14 to fibers 16 and 18. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, each transport element 50 includes a coupler 60 a which splits traffic received by transport elements 50 into two copies and forwards one copy of the traffic to drop element 130, while forwarding the other copy along the relevant fiber. Furthermore, each transport element 50 includes a coupler 60 b which adds traffic received from add element 140 to traffic already propagating on the associated fiber. Although two couplers 60 a and 60 b are illustrated in each transport element 50, particular embodiments may include a single coupler that both adds and drops traffic. Such a single coupler may be used, as an example, in particular embodiments which do not include a wavelength blocking unit 54 (as is described below).

Each transport element 50 also includes, in the illustrated embodiment, a wavelength blocking unit (WBU) 54 configured to terminate particular wavelengths of traffic propagating on fibers 16 and 18. As a result, traffic that has already been received by its intended destination or destinations may be terminated at a subsequent node 14. Furthermore, WBU 54 may be used to isolate a light-trail, as described below. Although shown as a functional block in FIG. 2, WBU 54 may represent and/or include suitable components configured in any appropriate manner to provide the functionality of dynamically blocking certain wavelengths and passing other wavelengths. As one example, WBU 54 may represent a wavelength-selective switch (WSS) operable to output any particular wavelength, or set of wavelengths, received at the input of WBU 54 on the output of WBU 54.

As another example, WBU 54 may represent a structure that includes an optical demultiplexer and an optical multiplexer connected by a series of switches. In such an embodiment, the demultiplexer may demultiplex the signal into its constituent channels. The switches may then be dynamically configured to selectively terminate or forward each channel to the multiplexer based on control signals received by each switch The channels that are forwarded by the switches are received by the multiplexer, multiplexed into a WDM optical signal, and forwarded to downstream elements.

As another example, WBU 54 may represent a collection of tunable filters tuned to allow only traffic on appropriate wavelengths to be forwarded on fibers 16 or 18. In such an embodiment, a coupler of WBU 54 may receive optical signals input to WBU 54 and split the optical signals into a plurality of copies, transmitting each of these copies to a particular tunable filter. Each tunable filter may then selectively pass traffic propagating at a particular wavelength or within a particular range of wavelengths and block traffic propagating at all other wavelengths. Each tunable filter then forwards the passed traffic propagating at the associated wavelength or wavelengths to an output coupler of WBU 54. The output coupler then combines the output of the various tunable filters to produce an output WDM optical signal and forwards the output optical signal to components downstream from WBU 54.

Transport elements 50 may also include appropriate components to allow node 14 to transmit and receive information pertaining to the status and operation of fibers 16 and 18, other nodes, any light-trails established in network 10, or any other appropriate elements or functionality of optical network 10. In particular, each node 14 may include elements to allow node 14 to receive and transmit messages on an optical supervisory channel (OSC). In the illustrated embodiment, each transport element 50 includes an OSC ingress filter 66 a that processes an ingress optical signal from its respective fiber 16 or 18. Each OSC filter 66 a filters the OSC signal from the optical signal and forwards the OSC signal to a respective OSC receiver 112. Each OSC filter 66 a also forwards the remaining optical signal to other components of transport element 50. Each transport element 50 also includes an OSC egress filter 66 b that adds an OSC signal from an associated OSC transmitter 116 to the optical signal propagating on the associated fiber 16 or 18 and forwards the combined signal to elements located downstream on fiber 16 or 18. The added OSC signal may be locally-generated data or may be OSC data received by node 14 and passed through managing element 120.

Distributing/combining elements 80 may each comprise a drop signal splitter 82 and an add signal combiner 84. Splitters 82 may each comprise a coupler connected to one optical fiber ingress lead and a plurality of optical fiber egress leads which serve as drop leads 86. Each drop lead 86 may be connected to a drop element 130 associated with a particular local port of node 14. Although the illustrated embodiment shows a splitter 82 coupled to one drop lead 86, splitter 82 may be coupled to any appropriate number of drop leads 86.

Splitter 82 may, in general, represent any appropriate component or collection of components capable of splitting the optical signal received by splitter 82 into a plurality of copies each to be propagated on a particular drop lead 86. In particular embodiments in which four drop leads 86 are implemented, splitters 82 may each specifically comprise a 2×4 optical coupler, where one ingress lead is terminated, the other ingress lead is coupled to a coupler 60 via a fiber segment, and the four egress leads are used as drop leads 86.

Combiners 84 similarly may each comprise a coupler with multiple optical fiber ingress leads, which serve as add leads 88, and one optical fiber egress lead. Each add lead 88 may be connected to an add element 140 associated with a particular port of node 14. In particular embodiments in which combiner 84 is coupled to four ingress leads, combiner 84 may comprise a 2×4 optical coupler, where one egress lead is terminated, the other egress lead is coupled to a coupler via a fiber segment, and the four ingress leads comprise add leads 88. As with splitter 82, the described components of combiner 84 may be replaced by any suitable component or collection of components for combining a plurality of optical signal into a single output signal. Although the illustrated embodiment shows a combiner 84 coupled to one add lead 88, combiner 84 may be coupled to any appropriate number of add leads 88.

Drop elements 130 selectively couple ports of burstponder 150 to outputs of distributing/combining elements 80 through filters 100, which are each capable of isolating traffic in a different wavelength from each copy of the optical signal created by splitter 82. As a result, drop elements 130 may output particular wavelengths of traffic from fibers 16 and 18 to particular ports of burstponder 150. Add elements 140 also couple particular ports of burstponder 150 to combining/distributing elements 80. Drop element 130 and add element 140 may include, respectively, a drop switch 132 and an add switch 142, or other suitable components, to selectively connect associated ports of burstponder 150 to fiber 16 or 18. Alternatively, add switch 142 may be replaced by a coupler which can split a signal from the associated transmitter 104 and by a pair of shutters (one for each branch of the split signal) that can control whether the signal is added to fiber 16, fiber 18, or both fibers 16 and 18. As a result, drop element 130 and add element 140 may be utilized to support protection switching for node 14. Alternatively, particular embodiments of drop element 130 and add element 140 may omit drop switch 132 and add switch 142, respectively, and couple different ports of burstponder 150 to each fiber 16 and 18. Moreover, in particular embodiments, node 14 may include multiple drop elements 130 and/or add elements 140, each associated with a particular wavelength supported by optical network 10.

Burstponder 150 converts bursty or time-interleaved optical traffic received from drop elements 130 to seamless and continuous data traffic for delivery to client devices of node 14 and converts data traffic received from client devices to optical traffic for transmission on fiber 16 or 18 in bursts when the node 14 has use of the light-trail. As described above, burstponder 150 allows node 14 to time share a light-trail while creating an impression to client devices of the node 14 that the wavelength is available on a seamless and continuous basis. Burstponder 150 may include any appropriate number of receivers 102 operable to receive optical signals and generate electrical signals based on these optical signals and transmitters 104 operable to receive electrical signals and to transmit optical signals based on these electrical signals. Depending on the configuration of node 14, each of these receivers 102 and transmitters 104 may be fixed or tunable. Each of these receivers 102 and transmitters 104 may be a burst-mode receiver or transmitter. Such burst-mode receivers may have burst mode clock and data recovery operation. As described below, switching element 160 may represent any appropriate component or components for transmitting data traffic output by burstponder 150 to appropriate client devices of node 14 and for transmitting data traffic received from client devices of node 14 to burstponder 150. Although shown as part of node 14 in FIG. 2, switching element 160 may be physically separate from node 14.

Managing element 120 may comprise OSC receivers 112, OSC interfaces 114, OSC transmitters 116, and an element management system (EMS) 124. Each OSC receiver 112, OSC interface 114, and OSC transmitter 116 set forms an OSC unit for one of the fibers 16 or 18 in the node 14. The OSC units receive and transmit OSC signals for the EMS 124. EMS 124 may be communicably coupled to a network management system (NMS) 126. NMS 126 may reside within node 14, in a different node, or external to all nodes 14.

EMS 124 and/or NMS 126 may comprise logic encoded in media for performing network and/or node monitoring, failure detection, protection switching and loop back or localized testing functionality of the optical network 10. In a particular embodiment, EMS 124 and/or NMS 126 generate, transmit, receive, and/or process control messages associated with the establishment, operation, and termination of light-trails. Any logic included in EMS 124 or NMS 126 may comprise software encoded in a disk or other computer-readable medium, such as memory, and/or instructions encoded in an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other processor or hardware. It will be understood that functionality of EMS 124 and/or NMS 126 may be performed by other components of the network and/or be otherwise distributed or centralized. For example, operation of NMS 126 may be distributed to the EMS 124 of nodes 14, and the NMS 126 may thus be omitted as a separate, discrete element. Similarly, the OSC units may communicate directly with NMS 126 and EMS 124 omitted.

EMS 124 monitors and/or controls elements within node 14. For example, EMS 124 may control operation of transmitters 104, receivers 102, and WBU 54 to facilitate the establishment and use of light-trails. In the illustrated embodiment, EMS 124 receives an OSC signal from each of fiber 16 and 18 in an electrical format via an OSC receiver 112 associated with that fiber (the OSC receiver 112 obtains the signal via an OSC filter 66 a). This OSC signal may include one or more of multiple types of control messages, as described above. EMS 124 may process the signal, forward the signal and/or loop-back the signal. EMS 124 may be operable to receive the electrical signal and resend the OSC signal via OSC transmitter 116 and OSC filter 66 b to the next node on fiber 16 or 18, adding, if appropriate, locally-generated control messages or other suitable information to the OSC.

NMS 126 collects information from all nodes 14 in optical network 10 and is operable to process control messages transmitted by nodes 14 to manage particular aspects of the use of light-trails. For example, in a particular embodiment, NMS 126 may be operable to select a particular node 14 for transmission on a light-trail when multiple nodes 14 request use of the light-trail. As noted above, NMS 126 may represent a portion or all of EMSs 124 of all nodes 14 in optical network 10. Moreover, although the description below describes particular embodiments of optical network 10 in which functionality is divided between NMS 126 and EMSs 124 in a particular manner, in alternative embodiments the described functionality may be distributed between NMS 126 and EMSs 124 in any appropriate manner. Additionally, although NMS 126 and EMS 124, as shown in FIG. 2, represent, at least in part, components located within node 14, some or all of NMS 126 and/or EMS 124 may be located external to nodes 14.

Although not shown in FIG. 2, node 14 may also include a memory operable to store code associated with EMS 124, NMS 126, and/or other components of optical network 10, information specifying a wavelength assignment scheme utilized for protection traffic on optical network 10, and/or any other suitable information used during operation of optical network 10. Memory may represent one or more memory devices that are located within node 14 or that are physically separate from node 14. Additionally, memory may be shared with other components of optical network 10 including other nodes 14. Memory may represent computer disks, a hard disk memory, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), or any other suitable storage media.

In operation, transport elements 50 receive traffic from fibers 16 and 18. In the illustrated embodiment, traffic received from fibers 16 and 18 includes an OSC signal, and transport elements 50 are operable to add and drop the OSC signal to and from fibers 16 and 18. More specifically, each OSC ingress filter 66 a processes an ingress optical signal from its respective fiber 16 or 18. OSC ingress filter 66 a filters the OSC signal from the optical signal and forwards the OSC signal to its respective OSC receiver 112. Each OSC ingress filter 66 a also forwards the remaining transport optical signal to the associated amplifier 64. Amplifier 64 amplifies the signal and forwards the signal to its associated coupler 60 a. In particular embodiments, amplifier 64 may be omitted, depending on the circumstances.

EMS 124 may process control messages transmitted by other nodes 14 or other components of optical network 10 and adjust operation of node 14 in response. In particular, EMS 124 may reconfigure WBU 54, transmitters 104, filters 100, receivers 102, and/or any other appropriate element of node 14 in response to control messages received by EMS 124. As one example, EMS 124 may, in response to receiving a setup message, configure a WBU 54 of node 14 to allow traffic propagating at a particular wavelength to pass through WBU 54. As another example, EMS 124 may, in response to receiving an intimation message from another node 14, tune a particular filter 100 and/or a particular receiver 102 to allow node 14 to receive optical traffic on a particular wavelength associated with a light-trail.

Furthermore, EMS 124 may also generate control messages for transmission to other nodes 14 or other components of optical network 10. For example, EMS 124 may generate electronic signals associated with setup messages, intimation messages, request messages, and/or any other appropriate type of control messages and communicate these electronic signals to OSC transmitter 116 to transmit optical signals representing the appropriate control message to the associated transport element 50. These control messages may then be added to the optical traffic on fiber 16 or 18, as appropriate.

Meanwhile, coupler 60 a splits the signal from the amplifier 64 into two copies: a through signal that is forwarded to WBU 54 and a drop signal that is forwarded to distributing/combining element 80. Distributing/combining element 80 may then split the drop signal into one or more copies and forward the copies of the drop signal to one or more drop elements 130. In a particular embodiment, each drop element 130 includes a drop switch 132 that allows drop element 130 to selectively couple a drop signal from either fiber 16 or fiber 18 to a filter 100 included in that drop element 130. Additionally, filter 100 may be tuned to a particular wavelength. As a result, in such an embodiment, traffic propagating at a particular wavelength on the selected fiber is output to burstponder 150.

Burstponder 150 receives the output of a plurality of drop elements 130. A receiver 102 in burstponder 150 that is associated with each drop element 130 converts the optical signal received from that drop element 130 into data traffic. The data traffic generated by each receiver 102 is then output to switching element 160. In particular embodiments of node 14, burstponder 150 may include buffers (not shown) and the output of receivers 102 may be stored in one or more buffers to be transmitted to switching element 160 at an appropriate time.

Switching element 160 receives seamless and continuous data traffic output by burstponder 150 and switches this data traffic in any appropriate manner to facilitate transmission of this data traffic to an appropriate client device of node 14. The data traffic received by switching element 160 from burstponder 150 may include information in the form of packets, frames, and/or datagrams, and/or information structured in any other appropriate form. For example, in a particular embodiment, switching element 160 may represent an L2 switch and may receive electrical signals from burstponder 150 in the form of packets.

Switching element 160 also receives data traffic from client devices coupled to switching element 160 and switches this data traffic to communicate the data traffic to an appropriate port of burstponder 150. The data traffic received by switching element 160 from the client devices may include information in the form of packets, frames, and/or datagrams, and/or information structured in any other appropriate form. As noted above, switching element 160 may represent an L2 switch and may receive data traffic from the client devices in the form of packets. In such an embodiment, the L2 switch may switch each packet, based on a header included in that packet, to deliver the packet to a port of the L2 switch coupled to an appropriate port of burstponder 150.

Burstponder 150 receives data traffic from switching element 160 on one or more ports of burstponder 150. Certain ports of burstponder 150 are configured to receive data traffic from switching element 160, and each of these ports may pass the received data traffic to a particular transmitter 104 in burstponder 150 associated with that port. Each transmitter 104 may then generate a burst of optical traffic from the data traffic received from switching element 160 and transmit that optical traffic to a particular add element 140 associated with that transmitter 104. In particular embodiments, EMS 124 may tune transmitters 104 of burstponder 150, and transmitters 104 may generate optical traffic at a particular wavelength determined by EMS 124. In other embodiments, transmitters 104 transmit at a fixed wavelength. Additionally, burstponder 150 may include one or more buffers that store data traffic from switching element 160 to be input to transmitter 104 at an appropriate time (such as when the node is granted use of a light-trail). Such buffering is useful since a node 14 may not be able to transmit traffic when it is received because another node 14 is using a shared light-trail.

Optical traffic output by transmitters 104 of burstponder 150 is then received by an appropriate add element 140 associated with the transmitter 104 that generated the optical traffic. Each add element 140 may include an add switch 142 capable of selectively coupling that add element to a combiner 84 in a distributing/combining element 80 associated with either fiber 16 or 18. As a result, optical traffic generated by transmitters 104 of burstponder 150 may be added to an appropriate fiber 16 or 18 based on the circumstances. For example, particular embodiments of node 14 may support protection switching and add switch 142 may be reconfigured in response to the detection of a fault on one fiber to transmit optical traffic on the other fiber. The appropriate distributing/combining element 80 then forwards the optical traffic received from burstponder 150 to the coupler 60 b of the associated fiber.

Returning to the operation of couplers 60 a, in addition to forwarding the drop signal as described above, each coupler 60 a forwards the through signal to its respective WBU 54. WBUs 54 receive the optical signal and selectively terminate or forward channels of the through signal. In a particular embodiment of node 14, EMS 124 may control operation of WBU 54 to establish a light-trail on a specified wavelength on a particular fiber 16 or 18 in response to a setup message received from a convener node 14 a. In particular, if node 14 represents a node on the interior of the requested light-trail, EMS 124 may configure WBU 54 to allow optical signals propagating at the specified wavelength on the relevant fiber to pass through WBU 54. If node 14 represents a node 14 at the beginning or end of a light-trail, EMS 124 may configure WBU 54 to block optical signals propagating at the specified wavelength on the relevant fiber. In this way, traffic transmitted by a node in a light-trail does not leave the light-trail. Because of this, multiple non-overlapping light-trails may be formed using the same wavelength in the same fiber.

In particular embodiments, however, WBUs 54 may be omitted from the node. In such embodiments, the node will be unable to block the transmission of traffic through the node (since there would be nothing to terminate any of the wavelengths of the copy of the optical signal forwarded from couplers 60 a). Therefore, in such embodiments, multiple light-trails may not be formed in the same wavelength. However, in many network topologies, such as ring networks, at least one such node (or some other device in the network) must be able to stop the propagation of optical signals added from the nodes around the network to prevent interference. As an example, otherwise traffic being added in a particular wavelength at a node will propagate around the network and return to the adding node, where it will interfere with new traffic being added in that wavelength. Therefore, particular embodiments may include one or more nodes that include a WBU (such as nodes 14) and one or more other nodes that do not include a WBU. If multiple nodes that include a WBU are used in such embodiments, it may be possible to create multiple light-trails in a single wavelength; however, the locations of these light-trails would be limited according to the number and placement of the nodes including the WBUs.

Returning to the operation of the illustrated node 14, each coupler 60 b may subsequently combine the output of the associated WBU 54 with the traffic received from an associated combiner 84. After coupler 60 b adds locally-derived traffic to the output of WBU 54, coupler 60 b forwards the combined signal to the associated amplifier 64 and OSC egress filter 66 b. Each OSC egress filter 66 b adds an OSC signal from the associated OSC transmitter 116 to the combined optical signal and forwards the new combined signal as an egress transport signal to the associated fiber 16 or 18 of optical network 10.

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate example operation of nodes of an optical network in establishing a light-trail 330 (shown in FIG. 3C). In particular, FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate an example operation of a particular embodiment of an optical network as a particular node 314 attempts to establish a light-trail 330 in response to receiving data traffic from a client device of that node 314. Nodes 314 and fibers 316 and 318 shown in FIGS. 3A-3C may represent a complete optical network or may represent a portion of a larger optical network, such as optical network 10 shown in FIG. 1. Furthermore, although shown as being coupled in a linear manner, nodes 314 may be coupled in a ring, a mesh, or in any other suitable fashion. For example, nodes 314 a-f may represent nodes 14 a-f of network 10 of FIG. 1. Moreover, nodes 314 may have any suitable design. As an example only, nodes 314 may be implemented using the configuration illustrated in FIG. 2 or any other appropriate configuration.

FIG. 3A illustrates an example operation of an optical network as node 314 a (referred to below as “convener node 314 a”) receives data traffic 310 from a client device coupled to convener node 314 a. To transmit optical traffic based on the data traffic, convener node 314 a determines that a light-trail 330 should be established between convener node 314 a and node 314 e (referred to below as “end node 314 e”) along fiber 16. As indicated above, convener node 314 a may decide to establish light-trail 330 in response to determining that the amount of optical traffic flowing on other light-trails that couple convener node 314 a and end node 314 e exceeds a predetermined threshold. Alternatively, any other node or device may initiate the establishment of light-trail 330 for any suitable purpose.

Convener node 314 a may establish light-trail 330 by sending one or more control messages to end node 314 e and/or other nodes 314 on the OSC or other control channel. As used herein, a “message” may represent one or more signal pulses, packets, or frames, or information structured in any other suitable format. For example, in a particular embodiment, convener node 314 a transmits a setup message 340 to end node 314 e and to all nodes 314 b-d between this particular convener node 314 a and end node 314 e in the direction of traffic. These nodes between the convener node and end node that are to be included in the light-trail may be referred to as “intervening nodes” (it should be noted, however, that not every node between the convener node and end node need be included in a light-trail). Depending on the configuration of the optical network, convener node 314 a may transmit setup message 340 on the OSC in the same direction as optical traffic is flowing on fiber 316, in the opposite direction (for example, the OSC on fiber 318), or in both directions (for example, the OSC on both fibers 16 and 18). In the illustrated example, the OSC is assumed to represent a separate wavelength from the wavelengths used to transmit data on fiber 316, and convener node 314 a transmits setup message 340 on fiber 316 in the direction traffic is propagating on fiber 316.

Setup message 340 may identify convener node 314 a and end node 314 e, specify the direction and wavelength to be used for transmissions on light-trail 330, and/or include any other appropriate information to be used by intervening nodes 314 b-d and end node 314 e to establish light-trail 330. Intervening nodes 314 b-d may store setup message 340 until receiving an appropriate indication from end node 314 e, such as an acknowledgement message, that end node 314 e is prepared to establish light-trail 330.

FIG. 3B illustrates an example operation of the optical network after end node 314 e receives setup message 340. End node 314 e, in response to receiving setup message 340, may reconfigure a wavelength blocking unit of end node 314 e to prevent traffic propagating at the wavelength associated with the requested light-trail 330 from continuing past end node 314 e on fiber 316. End node 314 e transmits an acknowledgement message 350 to convener node 314 a and/or intervening nodes 314 b-d once end node 314 e has configured the wavelength blocking unit or at any other appropriate time after receiving setup message 340. Acknowledgement message 350 indicates to nodes 314 receiving the acknowledgment message that end node 314 e is ready to establish light-trail 330. Convener node 314 a and/or intervening nodes 314 b-d may configure themselves in any appropriate manner to facilitate establishment of the light-trail, in response to receiving the acknowledgement message 350 or another appropriate form of indication from end node 314 e. For example, intervening nodes 314 b-d may each reconfigure a wavelength blocking unit of each node 314 to allow the wavelength associated with light-trail 330 to pass through that particular node 314. Additionally, convener node 314 a may configure a wavelength blocking unit of convener node 314 a to block traffic propagating on fiber 316 at the wavelength, as described above with respect to FIG. 2. By blocking traffic propagating on fiber 316 at the wavelength associated with light-trail 330, convener node 314 a may allow other light-trails that do not overlap with light-trail 330 to utilize the same wavelength as light-trail 330 without interfering with traffic transmitted on light-trail 330.

Additionally, each node 314 may maintain a light-trail table or matrix that maintains information regarding light-trails established on optical network 10 or light-trails to which that node 314 is coupled. These light-trail tables may include any appropriate information for the relevant light-trails. For example, light-trail tables may include information specifying the convener node and end node of each light-trail, the wavelength associated with each light-trail, whether each light-trail is currently being used, and/or any other suitable information about each light-trail.

FIG. 3C illustrates a state of optical network 10 after node 314 a receives acknowledgement message 350 and performs any appropriate reconfiguration. As a result of the reconfiguration of convener node 314 a, intervening nodes 314 b-d and end node 314 e, light-trail 330 is formed which couples convener node 314 a to each intervening node 314 b-d and to end node 314 e. Once light-trail 330 is established, convener node 314 a and/or intervening nodes 314 b-d may utilize light-trail 330 for transmissions to downstream intervening nodes 314 b-d or to end node 314 e. Example operation of nodes in transmitting optical traffic on an established light-trail is described below with respect to FIG. 4.

As mentioned above in conjunction with FIG. 1, one technique that may be used to allocate use of a light-trail between the nodes included in that light-trail is an auction technique. Auction algorithms provide a real-time method for arbitrating between users and objects. In this case, the nodes are users and light-trails (more particularly, data slots in a light-trail) are the objects. Such an auction mechanism provides an efficient, fair, and stable technique to converge to a solution to the parallel problem of arbitrating between a number of nodes requesting the use of an established light-trail. In this technique, each node requiring use of a light-trail places a bid for use of the light-trail during a specified period (such as for a particular time slot). Such a bid will be based on the node's network parameters and its requirement for the light-trail, as described below.

In particular embodiments, bids are placed contiguously with fixed periodicity using a slotted system. Two levels of time-slotted hierarchy exist in such embodiments: at the control layer and at the data layer. At the control layer, the control channel (for example, the OSC) may synchronized between the nodes since the control channel is optically dropped and electronically processed at each node. The time slots may be of a small duration/length (for example, measured in microseconds) that is just large enough to carry bids from nodes and/or to carry any other signaling information. The time slots at the data layer are larger (for example, a few milliseconds) than the slots of the control channel. At the data layer, the slots of each data channel are synchronized with respect to the control channel. In other words, the data transmission timings are controlled by the control channel, and since the control channel itself is synchronized, the data layer is also synchronized. Since the slots of the control channel are smaller than the data slots, a number of control slots will occur in the control channel during the duration of a single data slot in each data channel.

The upper bound of the duration of each data slot may depend on the minimum latency requirement of the node traffic having the highest degree of stringency. As an example only, if d is the maximum permissible latency of the traffic with highest stringency, and p is the maximum propagation delay, then the maximum allowable control packet size may be (d−p)/2 WN seconds in duration. Based on this calculation, the control channel line rate (C_(control)) may be defined as: C _(control)=2WNb _(control)/(d−p) where, b_(control) is the number of bits in a control packet.

Furthermore, the lower bound on data slot duration may be restricted in particular embodiments by the number of control messages that must be transmitted in the control channel (in other words, the number of required control slots) during the duration of a data slot, as well as the line rates for the control and data channels. This lower bound ensures that the control channel provides enough capacity for all potentially-able nodes to bid on light-paths established at every wavelength of the network. For example, if a network includes six nodes (such as network 10) and has twenty data channels, then one hundred twenty control slots will occur in the control channel during the time that one data slot occurs in each of the twenty data channels. Each of these control slots may be associated with a particular node and with a particular light-trail.

In embodiments implementing the auction technique, nodes may bid on the use of each individual data slot in each light-trail. Each node may bid on a particular data slot of a particular light-trail by inserting a control message into one of the control slots corresponding with the data slot that is just before the data slot being bid on. In other words, in such embodiments, the control slots that are synchronized with a particular data slot will include bids from one or more nodes for use of the next data slot. As is described in greater detail below, in particular embodiments these bids may be based on two parameters: criticality (generally, the service needed by the traffic from a node and the amount of traffic buffered at the node) and staticity (generally, the quality and quantity of the node's previous use of the light-trail). Both of these parameters help translate buffer and service statistics into auction bids. Each node may include software stored in a computer-readable medium or firmware that is used to calculate the bids for that node. As an example only, this software or firmware may be associated with the element management system.

These bids are then sent to one of the nodes in the light-trail (or some other suitable node or device) that acts as a controller for the light-trail. In particular embodiments, this controller is the end node of a light-trail. Upon receiving bids from the nodes in a light-trail, the end node of each light-trail computes the highest bid that it received from nodes in the light-trail and decides (based on an algorithm described below) which node should have transmission rights to the next data slot in the light-trail. The end node send control messages in the control channel to the other nodes in the light-trail indicating the node that was assigned the next data slot. These control messages may be sent on a different control channel that is transmitted in the opposite direction of the control channel in which the bids were transmitted (such as the OSC on the opposite fiber), they may be sent in the same control channel, or some may be sent in one direction and some in the other (for example, if the controller is one of the intervening nodes). This process, which is described in further detail below, repeats for each data slot.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example method for the auctioning of data slots in a light-trail. The example method describes the process for bidding on and using a single data slot in a particular light-trail. This method may be repeated for each data slot in the light-trail, as well as be performed for data slots of other light-trails in a network. Furthermore, although this example method describes bidding for each data slot in a light-trail, any other suitable “objects” may be bid on (as an example, use of the light-trail for a longer period of time (multiple data slots)). Moreover, although the bids are calculated based on criticality and staticity parameters in the manner described below, other embodiments of the present invention may calculate these parameters differently than described below and/or may use alternative or additional parameters to calculate bids.

For the calculations of bids in the example auction method, the following variables are defined:

-   -   N: The number of nodes in the network, where N_(i) is a         particular node     -   B(t): an N×N matrix that denotes the occupancy levels of the         buffers of all nodes     -   B_(ik) (t): the occupancy level of a buffer at a particular node         i at time t with data intended for transmission in light-trail k     -   Service types of the traffic buffered at a node: S={1,2,3,4, . .         . h, . . . , s}, where S_(h) is the h^(th) service type, and         Δ₁>Δ₂>Δ₃> . . . Δ_(s), where Δ_(s) _(h) is the maximum allowable         delay for service S_(h)     -   C: the light-trail bit-rate     -   t_(c): The connection provisioning time in a light-trail     -   w: The time required to set up a light-trail     -   T_(data): The duration of data slot

Nodes implementing the example auction method use these variables to determine the criticality and staticity parameters, which are then used to calculate a bid. The example method, as illustrated in FIG. 4, begins at step 500 where each node contending for a particular data slot in a particular light-trail calculates it criticality. Criticality is a representation of the urgency of a node to provision a connection in a particular light-trail. In the example embodiment, criticality depends on two factors: service delay and buffer occupancy. The former represents the need to provision connections in a light-trail assuming the end-to-end service delay, while the latter represents the occupancy of a buffer with respect to the total available memory in the buffer. For computing criticality, the following variables are used:

-   -   σ_(ik)(t): The number of data slots that have occurred since the         last successful bid by node i for light-trail k.     -   Ψ_(ik) (t): The critical allowable limit of buffer at node i for         data intended for transmission in the k^(th) light-trail at time         t.

The critical allowable limit Ψ_(ik) (t) depends on the time at which the first packet (or other suitable form of traffic) with service type S_(h) arrived in the buffer as compared to any packet of other service types having less stringent latency requirements than service type h. Ψ_(ik) (t) is calculated as follows: Ψ_(ik)(t)=min[Δ_(s) _(i) −x _(i),Δ_(S) _(k) ], i=1,2, . . . , s where x_(i) is the time since the first packet of service i entered the buffer B_(ik). Note that the critical allowable limit is independent of flow statistics and is a time-dependent value (meaning it can change for each data slot).

Using the critical allowable limit, the criticality parameter for a buffer at node i at time t for light-trail k can be calculated. The criticality parameter, α_(ik)(t), is defined as the maximum of the two ratios of service criticality and buffer criticality. Thus, the criticality parameter is calculated as follows:

${\alpha_{ik}(t)} = {\max\left\lbrack {\frac{\sigma_{ik}(t)}{\Psi_{ik}(t)},\frac{B_{ik}(t)}{B_{\max}}} \right\rbrack}$ where α_(ik)(t) is the criticality parameter of node i with reference to light-trail k at time t, and B_(max) is the buffer size in bits. For normal operations, 0≦α_(ik)(t)≦1. Thus, in general, the criticality parameter is determined to be higher of either a ratio reflecting the criticality caused by the service requirements for the traffic having the most stringent latency requirements or a ratio reflecting the criticality caused by the node's buffer reaching its capacity. Although this calculation of criticality may indicate the node that has the most critical need for a light-trail at any given instant, “ringing” will typically occur if criticality is the only parameter considered in placing a bid. “Ringing” is rapid switching between nodes having the right to transmit traffic on the light-trail, which creates inefficiencies.

Therefore, at step 502 of the example method, each node also calculates a staticity parameter. As described above, staticity is a parameter that gives a measure of the quality and longevity of a connection (use of a light-trail by a node). For a given connection, staticity is defined according to the following ratio:

${{ST}_{ik}(t)} = \frac{T_{DC}}{1 - \left\lbrack {\frac{1}{T_{DC}C}{\sum\limits_{i = {t - T_{DC}}}^{t}\;{B_{ik}(t)}}} \right\rbrack}$ For a given connection in the k^(th) light-trail between node i and some other node, if the connection duration is T_(DC) (which is self-explanatory) then staticity for this connection is calculated as follows (indicating how connection quality is determined):

${{ST}_{ik}(t)} = \frac{{connection}\mspace{14mu}{duration}}{{connection}\mspace{14mu}{quality}}$ For normal operations, 0≦ST_(ik) (t)≦1.

Based on the criticality and staticity calculations, each node contending for a particular data slot of light-trail k calculates a bid at step 504. The bid is calculated as the smaller of two quantities: (i) the maximum successful bid for the previous data slot, or (ii) the sum of the criticality and staticity parameters for the node at the beginning of the current data slot. In particular embodiments, an amount ε is also added to the smaller of these two quantities. This amount ε enables complementary slackness—a condition defined in Bertsekas, D. P., “Auction Algorithms,” Lab. for Information and Decision Systems Working Paper, M.I.T., Cambridge, Mass., pp. 6-8—to help achieve orthogonality between nodes. The value of ε is node-specific and is given a value of 1/(h-1) of the maximum bid for the previous data slot, where h is the average number of nodes in a light-trail (typically between 3N/8 and 5N/8 for an N-node ring network with symmetric traffic demands). Therefore, a node i computes a bid for light-trail k at time t as follows: bid_(ik)(t)=min[α_(ik)(t)+ST _(ik)(t), mbid _(k)(t−1)]+ε

After calculating a bid at step 504, each node bidding on a data slot determines whether to place the bid at step 506. For a given bidding cycle, every node computes a bid for every light-trail that is of interest to the node (for example, light-trails that include the destination node for the traffic that a node desires to transmit). However, in particular embodiments, a node will not necessarily place all of the bids that it calculates. In determining whether to place a bid, each node i determines a quantity, α_(ik)(t), that represents the benefit of light-trail k to that node at time t. This benefit depends on the previous history of the node with the light-trail, and is calculated as follows: α_(ik)(t)=α_(ik)(t)−mbid _(k)(t−1) where α_(ik)(t) is the criticality parameter of node i with respect to light-trail k and where mbid_(k)(t−1) is the maximum bid for the previous data slot in light-trail k (this maximum bid for the previous data slot may communicated by the end nodes of the light-trail to the other nodes in the light-trail). Each node determines this benefit at step 506 and decides to bid on a light-trail k if the net benefit of the light-trail denoted by α_(ik)(t) for that node is maximum amongst all light-trails available to that node. If a node decides not to bid on particular light-trails, the example method (for those light-trails) returns to the start of the method and the method begins again for subsequent data slots in the light-trails. If a node decides to bid on a light-trail, the method (for that light-trail) proceeds to step 508 where the node transmits the bid in an appropriate control slot in the control channel (for example, a control slot associated with the node and with the light-trail being bid on.

At step 510, the end node for each light-trail in the network (or other node designated as the arbiter node to receive bids and allocate the light-trail) receives bids from nodes in that light-trail for a particular data slot. The end node (or other arbiter node) may receive bids by retrieving and processing the contents of particular control slots that are associated with its light-trail. After receiving the bids for a particular data slot, at step 512 the end node determines the maximum bid that was received and from which node it was transmitted. However, the node placing the highest bid does not necessarily receive permission to use the light-trail. Instead, at step 514 the end node decides whether to re-assign the light-trail to the node placing the highest bid or to permit the node that was most recently assigned the light-trail to continue transmitting. In the example embodiment, the end node determines a “prevailing price,” p_(k)(t), of a light-trail k at time t as follows: p _(k)(t)=mbid _(k)(t−1)−CT _(data) The end node then uses this prevailing price for the light-trail to determine at step 514 whether to re-assign the light-trail. If the maximum bid received for a data slot is greater than or equal to the calculated prevailing price (mbid_(k)(t)≧p_(k)(t)), then the light-trail is re-assigned to the node that sent the maximum bid. If the maximum bid received for a data slot is less than the calculated prevailing price (mbid_(k)(t)<p_(k)(t)), then the status quo is maintained and the light-trail is not reassigned from the node that was previously assigned the light-trail (even though that node did not submit the highest bid).

In certain cases, although a node may not be assigned a light-trail, the conditions associated with that node (the criticality and/or the staticity) may require that a new light-trail be established so that the node may transmit its traffic. Therefore, the end node determines at step 516 whether new light-trails are needed. For example, if (mbid_(k)(t)<p_(k)(t)) and α_(k)(t)>1−w/Δ_(s) for the node transmitting the maximum bid, then this signifies the need to set up a new light-trail for that node. Similarly, if a node bidding on a light-trail k is not assigned the light-trail and if Ψ_(ik)(t)−w≦B_(ik)(t)≧Ψ_(ik)(t)−w−t_(c) for that node (node i), then a new light-trail needs to be set up for that node.

At step 518, the end node transmits a control message to each of the nodes in the light-trail indicating which node has been assigned the light-trail (either the node placing the highest bid or the node that was previously assigned the light-trail). In particular embodiments in which the network allows traffic to be transmitted in opposite directions (such as a bi-directional ring), the control messages from the end node to the other nodes in the light-trail may be communicated in the OSC that is transmitted in the opposite direction of the OSC that the other nodes used to submit the bids. This ensures that the response to the bids from the end nodes reaches the other nodes in the most time-efficient manner. Furthermore, if a new light-trail needs to be established, the end node may initiate its establishment and may send a control signal to the node for which the new light-trail was established indicating that it has been assigned the new light-trail. Alternatively, the node needing the new light-trail may establish the light-trail. In either case, the node needing the new light-trail may be the convener node in the new light-trail.

At step 520, the nodes in the light-trail receive the control messages and the node that has been assigned the light-trail transmits traffic in the data slot that was being bid on. Furthermore, if a new light-trail was established, the node assigned to that light-trail also transmits traffic on that new light-trail. The example method then returns to its beginning where the process is repeated for the next data slot in each light-trail in the network. It should be understood that some of the steps illustrated in this flowchart may be combined, modified or deleted where appropriate, and additional steps may also be added to the flowchart. Additionally, the steps may be performed in any suitable order.

Although the present invention has been described with several embodiments, various changes and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the present invention encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A method for allocating the use of an optical light-trail, the light-trail enabling a plurality of nodes included in the light-trail to share the use of an optical wavelength to transmit traffic between the nodes included in the light-trail, the method comprising: calculating a bid at each of one or more nodes included in the light-trail, each of the nodes calculating a bid with consideration for the criticality of the node's need to transmit particular traffic on the light-trail, wherein each node determines whether to submit the calculated bid based on a calculated benefit of the light-trail to the node compared to a calculated benefit of other light-trails over which the node may transmit particular traffic, wherein the benefit of a light-trail to the node is calculated based on the criticality of a node's need to transmit traffic on the light-trail and the previous maximum bid for the light-trail from the nodes in the light-trail; transmitting the calculated bids from one or more of the nodes to an arbiter node; determine the maximum bid received at the arbiter node; determine whether to allocate use of the light-trail to the node associated with the maximum bid; and communicating one or more control messages from the arbiter node to the nodes that transmitted the bids indicating to which node use of the wavelength of the light-trail is allocated.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the criticality of a node's need to transmit traffic on the light-trail comprises the latency of the particular traffic to be transmitted from the node and the percentage of traffic buffered at the node with respect to the total available memory in the buffer.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the nodes further considers the quality and quantity of the node's previous use of the light-trail when calculating a bid.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the bids are communicated to the arbiter node in a control channel.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the arbiter node comprises an end node of the light-trail.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to allocate use of the light-trail to the node associated with the maximum bid comprises: determining a prevailing price of the light-trail; and allocating use of the light-trail to the node associated with the maximum bid if the maximum bid is greater than the prevailing price of the light-trail.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the light-trail is divided into a plurality of time slots and wherein the method is performed for each time slot in the light-trail.
 8. A computer-readable medium encoded with software for allocating the use of an optical light-trail, the light-trail enabling a plurality of nodes included in the light-trail to share the use of an optical wavelength to transmit traffic between the nodes included in the light-trail, the software operable when executed by a computer to: receive a bid from each of one or more nodes included in the light-trail, wherein each of the bids is calculated by the associated node with consideration for the criticality of the node's need to transmit particular traffic on the light-trail, wherein each node determines whether to submit the calculated bid based on a calculated benefit of the light-trail to the node compared to a calculated benefit of other light-trails over which the node may transmit particular traffic, wherein the benefit of a light-trail to the node is calculated based on the criticality of a node's need to transmit traffic on the light-trail and the previous maximum bid for the light-trail from the nodes in the light-trail; determine the maximum received bid; determine whether to allocate use of the light-trail to the node associated with the maximum bid; and communicate one or more control messages to the nodes that transmitted the bids indicating to which node use of the wavelength of the light-trail is allocated.
 9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the criticality of a node's need to transmit traffic on the light-trail comprises the latency of the particular traffic to be transmitted from the node and the percentage of traffic buffered at the node with respect to the total available memory in the buffer.
 10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein each of the bids is calculated by the associated node with consideration for the quality and quantity of the node's previous use of the light-trail.
 11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the bids are received via a control channel.
 12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein determining whether to allocate use of the light-trail to the node associated with the maximum bid comprises: determining a prevailing price of the light-trail; and allocating use of the light-trail to the node associated with the maximum bid if the maximum bid is greater than the prevailing price of the light-trail.
 13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the light-trail is divided into a plurality of time slots and wherein bids are received for each time slot in the light-trail.
 14. An optical network comprising a plurality of light-trails, each light-trail enabling a plurality of nodes included in the light-trail to share the use of an optical wavelength to transmit traffic between the nodes, the optical network comprising: a plurality of nodes included in a light-trail, each node operable to calculate a bid for the light-trail giving consideration to the criticality of the node's need to transmit particular traffic on the light-trail, wherein each node determines whether to submit the calculated bid based on a calculated benefit of the light-trail to the node compared to a calculated benefit of other light-trails over which the node may transmit particular traffic, wherein the benefit of a light-trail to the node is calculated based on the criticality of a node's need to transmit traffic on the light-trail and the previous maximum bid for the light-trail from the nodes in the light-trail; and an arbiter node operable to: receive the calculated bids from the plurality of nodes included in the light-trail; determine the maximum received bid; determine whether to allocate use of the light-trail to the node associated with the maximum bid; and communicate one or more control messages to the nodes that transmitted the bids indicating to which node use of the wavelength of the light-trail is allocated.
 15. The optical network of claim 14, wherein the criticality of a node's need to transmit traffic on the light-trail comprises the latency of the particular traffic to be transmitted from the node and the percentage of traffic buffered at the node with respect to the total available memory in the buffer.
 16. The optical network of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of nodes further considers the quality and quantity of the node's previous use of the light-trail when calculating a bid.
 17. The optical network of claim 14, wherein the bids are communicated to the arbiter node in a control channel.
 18. The optical network of claim 14, wherein the arbiter node comprises an end node of the light-trail.
 19. The optical network of claim 14, wherein determining whether to allocate use of the light-trail to the node associated with the maximum bid comprises: determining a prevailing price of the light-trail; and allocating use of the light-trail to the node associated with the maximum bid if the maximum bid is greater than the prevailing price of the light-trail.
 20. The optical network of claim 14, wherein the light-trail is divided into a plurality of time slots and wherein the method is performed for each time slot in the light-trail. 